Thill-support.



Patented Feb. I3, I900.

B. T. GILLESPIE.

THILL SUPPORT.

"Application filed Mar. 29, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

ms'roM, D. c.

m: upams PETER$ c0, PHOTO-LITHQ..'WASH (No Model.)

TATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT T. GILLESPIE, OF UNIONTOIVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

THlLL-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,121, dated February 13, 1900.

' Application filed March 29,1899} Serial'No. 710,903. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT '1. GILLEsPIn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Uniontown, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Thill-Supports, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention applied to the dashboard of a buggy.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device, on an enlarged scale, mounted on the supportingframe. Fig. 3 is a' face view. Fig. 4is avertical sectional view showing the arm extended andin a supporting position. Fig. 5 is a face View of the interior, the front plate, supporting-arm, and part of the brace having been removed. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View, on an enlarged scale, on the line VI VI of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view of the roughened top, indicated by the line VII VII of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View similar to Fig. 4, showing the arm depressed. Fig. 9 is a face view of a modified construction wherein the receiving-slot for the arm is shortened and showing a different construction of looking device. Fig. 10 isavertical section taken on the line X X of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a crosssection, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line XI XI of Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a perspective detail view of the locking-arm, brace, sliding shoe, and supporting-brace. Fig. 13 is a similar View showing the arm partially lowered. Fig. 14 is a'perspective detail view of the hinged cover-plate for the inner end of the arm.

My invention relates to devices for supporting the thills of vehicles, particularly such as are provided with dashboards.

Referring to the drawings, 2 is the dashboard, with which and with the floor and frame of the vehicle-bed is incorporated the upright support 3, secured in any suitable manner to the Vehicle-base and firmly and securely attached to the case by screws 3, tapped into reinforcing-lugs 3 of the case, thus insuring strength. The operative mechanism of the supporting device is inclosed within a case 4, preferably of cast metal, which case is also adapted to be attached to the lower bar 5 of the dash by lugs 6 or in any other suitable way to insure its rigidity.

Pivoted to lugs within the case at 7 is an outwardly and upwardly swinging arm 8,

having at its extremity a projection or hook 9, by which the arm may be raised and which serves to retain the cross-bar of the thills in lie down flat upon the sides of such slot when the arm is lowered. A verticallysliding shoe 13 is mounted upon a slide 14, projecting ontwardly from the back of the case, the shoe having'flanges 15 at each side, by which it is guided, and also having opposite recesses between the flanges, adapted to provide bearing-faces for the slide 14 and for a retaining slide-strip 16, projecting inwardly from the front plate 17 of the case. In this manner it will be seen that the sliding dog, which is of considerable length, has a sufficient bearing to insure its accuratevertical movement in the operation of the arm. Pivotally connectin g the arm and the sliding shoe is a brace 18, attached by a lateral lug 19 to the shoe, and between the webs 10 of the arm by a pivotal pin 20. Mounted on inwardly and outwardly project-ing bearing-trunnions 21, having a bearing in the back of the case and in the front plate, respectively, is a pivoted dog 22, which in the raised position of the shoe is adapted to be thrown forwardly under it by spring 23, thus supporting the shoe and arm in a raised position, and to be retracted out of engagement by a button 24, secured to an outwardly-projecting stem 25, with an intervening plate 26, adapted to cover the slot 27.

It will be observed that both the slot 11 and slot 27 are surrounded by flanged retainingplates 28, between which and the main body portionof the case or its outer plate is secured the leather portion 29 of the dash, (see Fig. 11,) the leather being turned in and tightly clamped by inwardlyprojecting flanges of the plates 28, which plates are secured in position by screws 30. In this manner it will be seen that the entire front of the case is covered by the leather of the dash, with the exception of the sides and faces of the slots,

thus rendering the device invisible from the front, with the exception of the arm and the operating-button.

Covering the upper end of the arm and the hinge attachment is a sliding plate 31, pivotally connected by lugs 32 to similar lugs projecting outwardly from the upper end of the retaining plate 28, surrounding the Vertical slot, such plate having a forwardly-projecting flange 33, which covers the space when the arm, is depressed. In this manner the interior of the device is protected from the weather.

For the purpose of retaining the arm and securing it against movement when in alowered position, the arm is provided on its under side, near the extremity, with a projecting wedge 34, adapted to be inserted between two movable or a fixed and movable grip 35 36, the movable grip being pressed into operative position by a spring 37 of any suitable form,- so that the grips will automatically embrace and hold the wedge when the arm is lowered, thus effecting the desired purpose. When it is desired to raise the arm, it may be withdrawn with slight force.

In cases where it is desired to so locate the case that a portion shall project down below the leather of the dash, but shall not necessarily cut into the body portion of the vehicledash proper, it is'desirable that the arm-slot shall terminate at the base of the leather dash, in which case the slot is shortened, as in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings, and the arm 8 projects down beyond the slot. An intervening space 38 may also be provided for the wooden dash 39 and space corresponding to the difference between the face of the slots and the face of the cover-plate.

For convenience in providing means for striking matches the upper end 40 of the case may be roughened or indented, as shown in Fig. 7.

For the purpose of providing a cushion to deaden the sound and provide for easy operation rubber buffers 41 42 may be inserted in the arm and case, respectively, at positions corresponding to the base of the slot.

In the modified forms of construction shown on Sheet 2 of the drawings, wherein it is desired to have the end of the arm project downwardly below the slot, the attaching devices must necessarily be located when in connection somewhat higher up in order to come in contact within the slot, and I have therefore employed for such purpose a doublewinged spring 43, inserted between the webs 10 of the arm 8 in such a position as to come in contact with and embrace a wedge 44, projecting outwardly from the brace 18, such construction being very compact and insuring sufficient attachment of the parts when brought together.

In Fig. 11 I have indicated a manner in which the lower bar 5 of the upper dash may be made to embrace the case by means of a suitably-shaped surrounding offset 5, which is a preferred construction in cases when the device is furnished with new buggies.

In operation the arm 8 is raised to operative position by raising it by the ring-hook 9, when the dog 22 will be thrown under the sliding shoe 13 by spring 23, holding itin such position until by withdrawing the dog backwardly the shoe and arm will fall, closing down and covering the slot.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A supporting device for thills consisting of a case, supports therefor by which the case is incorporated with the dashboard of the vehicle, slideways in the case between its body portion and the cover-plate, a vertically-movable shoe mounted in the slideways, a thillsupporting arm pivoted in the upper portion of the case, a brace pivotally secured ,to the shoe and arm, a dog adapted to engage the shoe, a locking device on the arm and a springactuated holding device adapted to receive such locking device.

2. A supporting device for thills consisting of .a case, supports therefor by which the case is incorporated with the dashboard of the vehicle, slideways in the case between its body portion and the cover-plate, a vertically-movable shoe mounted in the slideways, a thillsupporting arm pivoted in the upper portion of the case, a brace pivotally secured to the shoe and arm, a pivoted dog adapted to engage the shoe providedwitha pressure-spring and a retracting-button, and cushioning devices secured to the arm and to the case.

3. A supporting device for thills consisting of a case, slideways therein, a vertically-movable shoe mounted in the slideways, a pivoted arm, a brace pivotally secured to the shoe and arm, a dog adapted to engage the shoe, a looking device on the arm adapted to engage a holding device on the case, and a protectingshield mounted adjacent to the pivotal support of the arm and adapted to slidingly em brace and move with the arm.

4. A supporting device for thills consisting of a case, slideways therein, a vertically-movable shoe mounted in the slideways, a pivoted arm, a brace pivotally secured to the shoe and arm, a dog adapted to engage the shoe provided with a releasing-button, a locking device on the arm adapted to engage a holding device on the case, a protecting-shield pivotally mounted adjacent to the pivotal support of the arm adapted to slidingly embrace and move with the arm, and a cover-plate for the case provided with openings forthe pivoted arm and releasing-button.

5. A supporting device for thills consisting of a case and means for supporting the case uponthe vehicle-body back of the leather of the dashboard, slideways in the case, a vertically-movable shoe mounted in the slideways, a pivoted arm, a brace pivotally secured to the shoe and arm, a dog adapted to engage the shoe provided with a releasing-button, a

locking device on the arm adapted to engage a holding device on the case, a protectingshield pivotally mounted adjacent to the pivotal support of the arm adapted to slidingly embrace and move with the arm, a coverplate for the case provided with openings for the pivotal arm and releasing-button, and retaining-plates provided with openings for the pivoted arm and releasing-button and adapted to clamp the dashboard-leather against the cover-plate around such openings.

6. In a supporting device for thills comprising a case provided with vertical slide- Ways, a movable shoe mounted therein, an arm pivoted to the case, a brace pivotally conmeeting the shoe and arm, a dog adapted to engage the shoe provided with a releasingbutton and a cover-plate provided with openings for the pivoted arm and releasing-button: retaining-plates provided with openings for the pivoted arm and releasing-button secured to the cover-plate and adapted to clamp the dashboard-leather against the cover-plate around such openings.

7. A supporting device for thills consisting of a case having on its exterior a roughened surface for striking matches, slideways in the case, a vertically-movable shoe mounted in the slideways, a pivoted arm, a brace pivotally secured to the shoe and arm, a dog adapted to engage the shoe provided with a releasing-buttoma locking device on the arm oted arm a protecting-shield pivotally mounted adjacent to the pivotal support of the arm and adapted to slidingly embrace and move with the arm, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT T. GILLESPIE. Witnesses:

CHARLES M. FEE, J. T. MILLER. 

